While the 2009 New Mexico Legislature special session has yet to bear budgetary fruit, one thing is pretty much guaranteed: University presidents will have discretion in making the cuts handed down to them from the state.
For UNM, this means that the University’s ethnic centers — including El Centro de la Raza, African American Student Services and American Indian Student Services — are going to be protected from any budget cuts, according to a statement from President David Schmidly.
“We’ve asked for flexibility in dealing with the proposed budget cuts so that we can do what’s best for the institution as a whole,” Schmidly said. “UNM’s ethnic centers are vital to the success of our students and it is always our
priority to preserve the programs that deal directly with student success.”
Before the special session, the Council of University Presidents wrote a letter to legislators requesting flexibility in implementing the cuts the Legislature recommended.
“Institutions want to control their own budget decisions,” the letter stated. “The presidents request discretion within and across appropriated line items so that each institution can make timely, prudent budgetary decisions in a dynamic environment.”
Marc Saavedra, director of government relations at UNM, said New Mexico’s state senators and representatives have responded positively to the presidents’ request. All bills proposed have clauses providing for university discretion.
“I think they all have language on flexibility,” Saavedra said. “The Legislature is completely on board with the universities having flexibility.”
Saavedra said that after cuts to the instructional and general funds and special projects are outlined — either in the special session or in December’s regular session — Schmidly will confer with representatives from University departments.
“There’ll be collaboration with the deans and people in those projects,” he said.
“We’re required through the Higher Education Department to assess those projects and gather information, so there’ll be discussion on how to implement those cuts. … It’s not going to be done with one person deciding how they’re going to do this. There’s going to be a process that involves those who are overseeing those projects, along with the deans and the schools.”
Pamela Agoyo, director of American Indian Student Services, said the state Legislature has “shaved” 10 percent to 15 percent off AISS’s budget every year during her eight years as director because AISS is a special-project, or soft-money, program.
She said making ethnic center funding a hard-money item – meaning AISS representatives would not have to lobby every year to renew their funding – would alleviate some of their budget issues.
“I’ve experienced a loss of over $100,000 since I’ve been here,” she said. “That’s never going to get restored, so it’s very significant. At this point, it’s really just trying to hold on to what we have without having any more shavings, and moving those funds into permanent funding is one option for securing those funds.”
Verónica Méndez-Cruz, director of El Centro de la Raza, said hard-money funding would make the ethnic centers less susceptible to the whims of the state Legislature.
“Both areas are going to be hit, both the I & G and the soft money … one is still way more vulnerable, and that’s our soft money,” she said. “Over the years of so much shaving, we’re at barely the minimum now. I’m barely able to support my staffing.”
Méndez-Cruz said the ethnic centers, who lobby for funding at the Roundhouse every year, could soon lose their funding entirely.
“With soft money, we’re here today and we could easily be gone tomorrow,” she said. “I feel like it won’t be long before I exhaust my welcome at the state Legislature.”
Scott Carreathers, director of African American Student Services, said Schmidly’s commitment to the ethnic centers benefits the whole University.
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“I think it’s a step in the right direction for us, for the University,” Carreathers said. “I think President Schmidly has always shown himself to be committed to the ethnic centers.”
Agoyo said Schmidly’s commitment shows the administration recognizes the value of the ethnic centers.
“It’s some very exciting news for all of the ethnic centers, and I think it’s a confirmation that we’ve been waiting for for a long time, that the administration recognizes how valuable the ethnic centers are to the students that we serve on campus,” she said.
